Jeep cars

2012 Jeep Wrangler Military Edition by A. Kahn Design

No aftermarket company has redefined SUV tuning quite like A. Kahn Design. Known for their programs for the Range Rover and all different types of its offspring, A. Kahn Design has, on occasion, jumped out of their comfort zone to build a program that doesn’t have the words ’Range’ and ’Rover’ in its name.

Take for instance the new Jeep Wrangler. By all measure, the rugged American all-utility vehicle fits into the description of a go-anywhere, get-down-and-diggity rough rider. But if you’re Azfal Kahn, the Wrangler can be more than that. And that’s where A. Kahn Design comes in under the banner of ‘Chelsea Truck Company.’

On the outside, the Wrangler Military Edition received a new mesh front grill, gold-finished calipers, smoked side lights and repeaters, dial fascia clocks, LED driving lights, a new quad exhaust system, and a set of 20" Kahn RS wheels, among other things.

There are also other refinements that drive up the looks and security of the vehicle, particularly an optional bullet-proof glass on the blank rear window sections and the LED lights on the vehicle. If bullet-proof isn’t enough to make you feel safe, A. Kahn Design also has what they call "a superior type of glass," a more advanced version of their bullet-proof set-up that even the most high-profile of clients would be happy to have on their vehicles.

Inside, A. Kahn Design always brings the luxury up to bespoke levels, and the Wrangler Military Edition - despite it’s reputation - is no different. From the red quilted leather seats to the dial fascia clocks, A. Kahn Design spares no expense in dressing up the interior according to the preferences of the customer.

For the whole set, customers will have to pay £35,875, or around $56,000 based on current exchange rates.

2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Nautic Black Concept

The 2011 Paris Boat Show had a pair of unlikely attendees in the form of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Nautic Black and White Concepts.

What these two Wranglers were doing at a boat show is a good question, and it can be answered by no less than French design firm Style & Design of Maurepas, France, who designed the two Wranglers to create the perfect all-utility, nautical machine.

The Wrangler Unlimited Nautic Black was designed to offer "all the comfort, design, and elegance of a sailing boat,” something that we clearly associate with one another. Or not. In any case, the Wrangler was given styling modifications on the exterior and interior, including a new "Navy Black" finish to go with a new chrome grille, taillight surrounds, bumpers, and a deck-style finish trim for the running boards, cargo cover, and cargo floor. Open up the cargo cover and you can take out pair of white canvas chairs and a matching canvas awning to set-up your own little comfort area.

On top of all that, the vehicle also has plenty of chrome details, including on the door handles, mirrors, fuel-filler ring, and the outer rim of the spare-tire cover. Finally, the Wrangler Nautic Black Concept sits on a new set of 20" wheels.

Meanwhile, the interior of the Wrangler Nautic Black Concept features black leather on the seating surfaces, steering wheel, manual shift boot, and passenger grab handle. The same deck finish on the exterior also makes an appearance on the steering wheel spokes, dash and door trim, center console, and floor mats.

The vehicle is powered by a 2.8-liter turbo-diesel engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission, producing an output of 200 horsepower and 302 lb/ft of torque.

2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Nautic White Concept

Jeep has a reputation for being one of the best all-purpose, get-down-and-dirty vehicles on the market today. The same, on the other hand, cannot be said for the French.

So you can consider this an odd match-up between the two, but nevertheless, it was still in full display at the Paris Boat Show for all the world to see. We’re talking about a pair of Jeep Wranglers that have been specially built by design firm Style & Design of Maurepas, France. The pair of four-door Wrangler Unlimited models, called the "Nautic" concepts, each comes with its own set of customizations, particularly on the exterior and interior of the all-purpose machine.

On the outside, the Nautic White Concept received a new chrome grille, white taillight surrounds, white bumpers, and more teak-style “deck finish” trim for the running boards and cargo cover. Chrome was also used in abundance on the door handles, mirrors, fuel-filler ring, and the outer rim of the spare-tire cover, which incidentally, is covered in white leather, further accentuating the clean and elegant look of the all-utility Wrangler Unlimited. Smell the irony there?

The Nautic White Concept sits on a new set of 20" wheels while also boasting of a pair of white canvas chairs under a matching canvas awning. Inside, the Wrangler Nautic White was designed using inspiration from the world of sailing, offering plenty of the comfort and elegance associated with sailing boats. It’s been dressed with bright-white leather on the seating surfaces, steering wheel, manual shift boot, and passenger grab handle. It’s also been fitted with a faux wood trim on the steering wheel spokes, dash and door trim, center console, and floor mats.

The Wrangler Nautic White Concept is powered by a 2.8-liter turbo-diesel engine that’s mated to a six-speed manual transmission and produces 200 horsepower and 302 lb/ft of torque.

2012 Jeep Liberty Arctic

Jeep is preparing for the upcoming winter with a special edition Liberty Arctic that will be revealed at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show. This special edition takes its inspiration from the Europe-bound Wrangler Arctic and will arrive in Jeep showrooms this month.

The Liberty Arctic will be available in four exterior colors - Winter Chill, Bright Silver, Bright White, and Mineral Gray - combined with "Arctic" badges on the front fenders and semi-gloss black 16-inch aluminum wheels with center caps painted semi-gloss black. The exterior also features deep tint glass and tow hooks, blacked-out headlamps, and standard fog lamps.

The interior of the Liberty Arctic will feature a black and orange color scheme to offset the exterior. The vehicle’s seats will be covered in black vinyl with an "Arctic" logo in the seat back. Arctic Orange accent stitching can be found on the seat backs, cushions, and headrests.

The list of standard equipment for the Jeep Liberty Arctic includes gray-faced gauges, express up/down one-touch windows, Media Center 430 touch-screen with a nine-speaker Infiniti sound system, and Mopar slush mats with white "Jeep" lettering.

Pricing for the 2012 Jeep Liberty Arctic will be announced at a later date.

2012 Jeep Wrangler by Mopar

If you want to further improve your 2012 Jeep Wrangler, Mopar is now offering customers a list of 250 options to choose from. First there is a new set of 17" wheels offered in silver, black or dark argent and priced at $259.

The next step is to start updating the aspect of the exterior and the interior of your car. For that Mopar is offering you a winch-capable steel bumper priced at $558; black-tube side steps for $398, spare tire-mounted bike carrier $169, Uconnect® Web $399, half-door Kit $1,100; seat cover for $280, heavy-duty all-weather floor mat $48, door-sill guards $76, trek top $450.

"Jeep Wrangler owners spend hundreds of dollars on Mopar accessories to further enhance the performance and appearance of their vehicle," said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group’s service, parts and customer-care brand. "Unlike other aftermarket offerings, all Mopar parts and accessories are quality-tested to meet the strict capability and durability requirements of Jeep."

2012 Jeep Wrangler Arctic

Jeep showed up to the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show with a new special edition Wrangler that puts the frost in frostbite. The new Wrangler Arctic takes its inspiration from the rough and frozen terrain of the Arctic, illustrating the type of terrain the Jeep was engineered to tackle. The Wrangler Arctic is available in both Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited versions and will go on sale in the first quarter of 2012 in Europe only.

With a name like Arctic, it was only natural that the special edition Wrangler come in wintry colors: Winter Chill, Bright Silver, and Bright White. The exterior features body color hardtop and fender flares, as well as "Arctic" badges and a Yeti footprint - yeah, that legendary creature in the extreme North - covering the front left fender flares and part of the hood. The model at Frankfurt was covered in the light blue Winter Chill paint finish and was accented with semi-gloss black 17" wheels and original Mopar accessories, which also come standard with the Arctic package.

All Wrangler Arctic models will also get an exclusive interior enhanced by distinctive colors and details. The heated front seats are covered in black Tectonic fabric with Polar White accents, Arctic Orange piping, and accent stitching, as well as an "Arctic" logo on the front seat backs. The steering wheel, armrests, and console lid also benefit from accent stitching, while the door trim and cargo nets are accented in Arctic Orange. The Arctic logo can also be found on tachometer and Mopar tread-pattern slush mats with white "Jeep" lettering complete the Wrangler Arctic package.

European customers will have the chance to choose between the new 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 petrol engine mated to the automatic five-speed transaxle or a 2.8-liter turbo diesel powertrain paired with a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission.

UPDATE 11/10/11: Jeep has come out with new photos of the Jeep Wrangler Artic. Check out the new snapshots of the special edition Wrangler after the jump

2012 Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty: MW3 Special Edition

Jeep has announced that starting this November customers will have the possibility to opt for a Wrangler Call of Duty: MW3 Special Edition. This special edition will be offered in both two-door and four-door versions and will be based on the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon model.

The model comes painted in Black or Bright Silver and features a special "Call of Duty: MW3 Special Edition" graphics on the front fenders and spare tire cover.

As it name suggests the model is inspired by the latest "Call of Duty" game and features a unique "power-dome" hood, a winch-ready front bumper, rear bumper, rock rails, taillamp guards, a fuel-filler door, aggressive 32-inch off-road tires, live axles with locking differentials in the front and rear, and a two-speed transfer case.

The interior adds model-specific black seats with accent stitching and Call of Duty logos, unique gauge cluster graphics, dashboard serialized plaque, dashboard grab handle with logo, accent stitching on arm rest, console lid, and steering wheel, Mopar Slush Mats with logo, and rear cargo mat with logo (Unlimited only).

2012 Jeep Wrangler

The year 2011 marked a new time for the Jeep Wrangler after Chrysler introduced a facelifted version of the off-road vehicle. A year later, the 2012 model has been released and while it looks pretty much the same as that of the 2011 model, Jeep is introducing a new powertrain that is significantly more powerful than the last model.

With the new engine, the 2012 Jeep Wrangler now produces an output of 285 horsepower and 260 lb/ft of torque, an improvement of 83 horsepower and 23 lb/ft of torque from the 2011 model, while also carrying an improved fuel efficiency rating of 21 mph. This comes as an improvement from the 15 mpg city / 19 mpg highway rating of the facelifted 2011 version.

“Our new 3.6-liter V6 engine gives the ever-capable Wrangler a completely new, more refined on-road driving experience – complete with more fuel efficiency, power and torque," said Mike Manley, President and CEO of the Jeep brand.

Find out more about the 2012 Jeep Wrangler after the jump.

Top Gear USA: Season 2 Episode 4

This week’s episode of Top Gear USA brought us back to the one segment format. The trio of Adam Ferrara, Tanner Foust, and Ruttledge Wood had the challenge of proving which was the toughest off-roader in America by subjecting three of the best 4x4 vehicles to a series of tests.

Adam opted for a 1994 Ford Bronco with a 351 HP V8 and Ruttledge chose a 1989 Chevrolet K5 Blazer with a 350 HP V8. Tanner was the only one with an inline six in his 1983 Jeep Renegade. All three of them were dropped off in the middle of the Mojave Desert to sweat it out for 400 miles as they cruised to Vegas, dealing with the 134 degree weather. By the way, Tanner’s Jeep had no air conditioning. Yikes!

The whole point of this challenge was to find the best 4x4, so to put the vehicles through the test and put the guys through hell, the first 350 miles of the trip had to be made without their tires ever touching asphalt. What happens after this was made known is entirely predictable and grueling.

Hit the jump for details on Top Gear USA: Season 2 Episode 4.

Chrysler’s Badly Needed Compact Cars Coming In 2012

Expect good things from Chrysler in 2012, beginning with the first appearance of the Fiat-sourced Dodge Caliber replacement at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. To be built on a stretched version of Fiat’s high-volume compact platform, the new Dodge Caliber (or whatever the replacement will be called) will likely be the first in a series of new compacts from Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep. The Fiat platform is so versatile that it can be used for anything from compacts through mid-size vehicles, making it the ideal choice for a cost-conscious manufacturer like Chrysler.

Since Chrysler hasn’t focused on hybrids, electrics, or compact, fuel-saving engines to date, the automaker will have some catching up to do. Rumors say the new Chrysler compact cars will offer a range of normally-aspirated and turbocharged four-cylinder engines, mated to eight and nine speed automatic transmissions for impressive fuel economy numbers. There’s even word of a six-speed, dual-clutch transmission, which probably means that a replacement for the Dodge Caliber SRT4 is in the works.

We had a chance to speak with SRT head, Ralph Gilles, last spring, and he was tight-lipped about what may or may not be in the development pipeline. He was enthusiastic about their upcoming compacts, however, as well as the bound-for-the-U.S. Fiat 500 Abarth. There’s no denying that the SRT8 versions of the Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, and Chrysler 300 are fun to drive, but it looks like small-car Mopar fans will have a very good year ahead of them.